Improvement in cork-cutting machines



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIGE.

GEORGE PURYES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORK-CUTTING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 118,269, dated August 22, 1871.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE PURvEs, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Cork-Cutting Machine; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specilication.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for cutting or turning corks 5 and it consists in the improved arrangement of apparatus hereinafter described, whereby cylindrical or tapered corks may be rapidly cut by two operations of the cutter upon each cork, said operations being performed by a right-and-left movement of the cutter along the cork while being revolved, the object being to obviate the tearing of the corks so much as they do when finished at one cut.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a crosssection on the line y y of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a partial side elevation looking toward the rear side. Fig. 5 is another partial elevation of the rear side. Fig. 6 is a section through the'cork and the cheeks or centers for holding and revolving it; and Fig. 7 is an end view of the cork and the shavings.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A is a metal frame with ways B, ahead-stock, O G, spindle D, tail-stock E, and a knife-carriage F. The spindle has a large grooved pulley, G, which is to be turned by a cord or belt, H, working over the guide -pulleys I, and the large wheel K being moved by the carriage, as will be presently described. The head-stock C O', also the tail-stock, which is connected to the head-stock, are arranged to slide transversely on the bed-frame, being actuated by an adjusting screw, L, near each end, by which either end may be shifted for adjusting the spindle parallel or obliquely with the plane of the knife M, and the major aXis of the bed-frame of the machine. The end of the spindle to which the cork is applied for being held and rotated is provided with a chuck or disk, N, with points (seen in Fig. 6) for clamping the cork between it and another similar chuck, O, mounted in the sliding bar Q in the tail-stock E, and connected with a lever, R, for moving it to and from the cork, said lever having a spring, S, constantly pressing the slide and the chuck against the cork to hold it snugly against chuck N. The said lever R also has a lever, T, connected to it or to its axis, for being acted upon by the leg of the attendant to draw the chuck O back for releasing and applying the corks, said lever having a leg-piece, V, applied to its lower end, which hangs down at the front of the machine in a convenient position for the attendant to actuate it by his leg while actuating' Y the carriage, and applying and removing the corks by his hands. The knife M is a long broad plate adjustably attached to a shaft or bar, W, bearing by journals X on the end pieces of the frame F, parallel with the major axis of the frame, and so that the cutting-edge hangs vertically or thereabout below the said bar, by which it is supported. The bar W has an arm, y, jointed or otherwise connected to it, and jointed at its outer end to the vertically-sliding bar Z extending down the back side of the machine through the guide and holder Z for it to be attached to the frame of the machine. This bar has a pin, y', working in the eccentric slot X of a lever, YV', pivoted to a pendent bracket, V', on the carriage, and projecting below it to come into contact with a stop, U, on each end of the frame, just before the movement of the carriagestops, for shifting the edge of the cutter for making the first and second cuts, as will be presently described. The cord or belt is to be actuated by the carriage, and for this purpose two pairs of clutch-bars or clogs, consisting ofthe bars a and b, are mounted on the vertical plate or bar d on the back side of the machine, the pair a being adapted to clutch the cord when the carriage is moving in the direction indicated by the arrow e, while the pair b allows the belt running in the direction indicated by arrow j' to pass freely. The pair b is arranged to clutch the belt when the carriage runs in the direction indicated by arrow j, at which time it passes freely between the clutch-dogs a. These dogs or bars are pivoted to the frame at g, and made longer than the distance in a right line from said pivots to the belt whereat they meet, having a groove in the end of each to lit the belt. One pair is inclined to the right of said right line and the other to the left of it, and one bar of each pair is provided with a spring, h, causing it to press on the cord with sufficient friction to cause the two bars,

which are connected by the plate fi and pin j, to clutch. the belt.

The operation is as follows: The carriage and cutter being moved tov the left, and the cutter moved from the axis of the spindle by the arm of lever W coming against the stop U', the slide Q is forced back by the leg ofthe attendant. A square or other shaped piece of cork is put between the cutters and clamped by the chuck. The carriage is then set in 'motion and the end of the cutter forced against the end of the cork, which, being set in motion at the same time, is revolved one revolution or alittle more while the long cutter is passing it, and cutting off the rst cut, indicated by the outer circular' line Z in Fig. 7. Just before the carriage stops in this movement, having passed beyond the cork, the arm of lever lV colnes against another stop similar to U but at the other end of the frame, and is shifted so that the pin y comes into the lowest part of the slotI m', allowing bar Z to fall and throw the edge ofV the cutter inward toward the axis ofthe cork, ready for making the second out, indicated bythe second circular line in Fig. 7, marked m. The carriage is then shoved back again to the place oi' beginning, making said cut, and the cutter is shifted back to its position for making the first cut on the next cork, as before, and so 0n.

For making different sizes of cork the spindle I) is adjusted relatively to the cutter, and for making tapered ones the said spindle is adjusted obliquely to the cutter by shifting one end only. When the slide Q is moved backward the discharged corks fall into a spout, A1, by which they are conducted to any suitable receptacle.

A2 is a box for holding the pieces to be turned in a convenient place for the attendant to reach them.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as neur and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The adjustable spindle-head stock D, tailstock E made adjustable thereon, slidingbar Q, levers It and T, and spring S, combined substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The cutter oscillating bar W, arm Y, vertical slide Z, slotted lever W', and stops U, combined and arranged substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the elements of the rst and second claims, of the oscillating cutter M, the sliding frame F, and the operating-cord and pulleys, as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination of the carriage, clampingi dogs a b, belt H, and the spindle D, substantially as specied.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 29th day of May, 1871.

GEORGE PURVES. Witnesses GEORGE W. MABEE, T. B. Mosnnn. 

